This 1000yd Stuff Is Expensive

Reelamin

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Ok just hear me out. I decided on killing a bull or buck at 1000yds. Spent the initial to get set up, load development, etc., and shooting a decent rifle more then capable of 1000yards. Have another 1k or so to spend on needed gear. I can live with this as it is gear and accessories that will last a long time.

WELL MAYBE!!??

I have been practicing on weekends, and this poo is costing me a ton of money. I am intentionally not shooting as much as I would like due to the cost. I have limited myself to no more then 30 rounds, and spend my time training not just burning ammo. I track and document every 3 round group. It will be one month this weekend...and 100 bucks burned up in just ammo. This is practicing minimally in my view, and had hoped to be shooting 2-3 times as much.

I have tried the 22, .223 and others at long range for practice...but 1000yds is a totally different animal.

Open to any suggestions if there are any on how I can get some real world 1000 yard training in on less cash outlay. Maybe more cost initially but at the current rate my ammo cost alone (not counting wore out barrel) is killing me.
 
Well, try to find a way to make shooting fun. No more paper targets. Golf balls, clays, something reactive. UKD, or look at this one. Smack the Smiley --- Home of the Tactical Shooter's Local Rifle Match I was thinking about trying that. I know its not the glorious 1K but if its no fun and you get discouraged, it never will be fun. You must be shooting something WAY bigger than I am to be 3 bucks a round. Even a .338 should be close to 1.50 to 1.75 a round including brass if you're reloading. Also, make reloading fun. It's not a tedious task to be hated. It is one of the most relaxing parts. Shooting is no more expensive hobby once you get balls deep than anything else. Golf clubs and cars aren't cheap either
 
You are absolutely right. The long range game is low volume/ high quality/high cost. Whether that is rewarding enough to an individual is a very personal thing. After years of throwing lead down range, I have found the long range game to be my favorite shooting sport. I will also say that since getting into LR, I have vastly increased my practice shooting with very accurate 22LR rifles. Don't know if it offsets the cost, but it sure keeps me shooting enough to satisfy my itchy trigger finger, and keep my skills honed. Since taking up the LR game, I'm a far better shooter then I was 10 or 15 years ago.
 
+1 the 1,000 yard + game is not for the faint of wallet. I spend far more time shooting my 7 Dakota, 7 WSM and my 6x47L than my 338LM Improved.

I do shoot it from time to time to stay current with it, but my other rifles have identical scopes and triggers set to the same pull, so shooting one is failry good practice for shooting the others.

Jeffvn
 
Well, As the old saying goes, "you get what you pay for." I guess it boils down to your priorities. I think I'd rather pay for the 1000 yard stuff than sitting somewhere drinking a 5 buck cup of coffee. Ditto on what everyone else says---make it fun.
Actually, I think its a blast just sitting on the ground or a bench watching your bullets fly.

Randy
 
Well, As the old saying goes, "you get what you pay for." I guess it boils down to your priorities. I think I'd rather pay for the 1000 yard stuff than sitting somewhere drinking a 5 buck cup of coffee. Ditto on what everyone else says---make it fun.
Actually, I think its a blast just sitting on the ground or a bench watching your bullets fly.

Randy

I totally agree with everything you just said. I'm just getting into the shooting game, and am not ghat good, and haven't shot that far yet... but I'd rather spend the $10 for 20 rounds of ammo I reloaded than for a not so great coffee at a coffee shop
 
reelamin said:
...I have tried the 22, .223 and others at long range for practice...but 1000yds is a totally different animal....

I've been practicing long range shooting with a 22LR target rifle at 100-200 yds using subsonic ammo. Other than the rifle and scope, I use the same equipment as I use for LR shooting. I stuffed lead into the rifle stock to get the weight up to 10.5 lbs. I also set up a wireless weather station about 25 yds down range so that can get wind temp and direction. I'm still tinkering with equipment - I may change the rifle.

I use this equipment to practice the mechanics of estimating wind, doping the shot, up hill/down hill, holding the rifle, breaking the shot, etc. Elevation and wind hold offs for a subsonic 22 LR at 200 yds are similar to a typical LR centerfire caliber at 600-1000 yds. I can set up, fire 30-50 rounds, and then pack up in about 90 min. Ammo cost is $5-10. Gas costs more.
 
I like to use my 6br for 1000 yard practice. 105 Amax's are cheap enough and 30 grains of varget make powder go a long way. it's the cheapest way to accually shoot 1K distance and have enough velocity and power to take out groundhogs and stuff. This also lets you save your big boomers for the big animals. if you have the trigger time in with the disance switching guns isn't that hard exspecially if you set them up the same.
 
300 RUM shooting Bergers as a final hunting round.

Fun does not save me money. Sure fun shooting is trigger time, and any shooting helps...but spinning steel or bouncing balls is not even close to hitting a 12" target at 1000yds the first and last shot.

Yes I could buy a new factory rifle in a smaller caliber...but there goes that costs thing again. LOL

I also do not spend any money on stupid "fancy" coffee. In fact I don't even buy bottled water, as things like that are the largest waste of money in the world.

I reload so my ammo costs are listed just for bullets, powder, primers...if I was to add in the brass add another $100. No way possible I could afford to buy factory ammo.

I have tried shooting cheap base level bullets (Core Lok, Hornady SP, Sierra GK) but their accuracy is noticeably less then the premium stuff at 1000. The Bergers are less then dime each more then the Match Kings, so I might as well shoot them.

22LR I like, but again I don't have one that is super accurate with affordable ammo. I shoot 22's a lot out to 200yds, so I am gaining some help. Just looking for pure 1k stuff. A new accurate 22 is right up there with a new centerfire rifle.

I just ordered some 80gr 22 cal. MK's for my .223 to see how that goes for 1k shooting. Of course I have to send off another scope for turrets. At least the turrets will hold their value.
 
Ever hear the expression, "I'd rather be lucky than good?"
Quit practicing and just start shooting into the herd.
Just kidding.

Try having 3 kids that all want to shoot and add 3-gun competition to your long range bolt rifle regimine. Had to caution my son again today that we're not shooting live pistol ammo if he's not working out and keeping up with the dry fire practice routine.

I don't shoot much anymore because I can't afford to. I'm just the RO/Spotter anymore.

-- richard
 
Unless you decide you have to shoot the really big stuff like the 338Lapua which I'm in the process of doing, I don't think the cost is much different in the ammo when comparing 300, 500, or 1000 yards. For me, it's the accessories and refinement process that begins to add cost. More accurate rifles, better rangefinders, chronographs, scopes, more sophisticated reloading tools, weather stations,etc. For my 1000 yard deer and antelope hunting I shoot a 6.5x284, and a 260 Remington for targets. I actually shoot less at the longer ranges than I do at the shorter ranges, focusing on the quality of the shooting much more than the volume. I'm hooked though, and I still spend a lot less shooting long range then my buddies spend playing golf every weekend. At least that's what I tell my wife. I don't think she buys it.
 
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